Pool and billiard table register.



A. E. HOVEY. POOL AND BILLIABD TABLE REGISTER.

APPLICATION FILED APB.23, 1919. 1,000,091.

1 1 OU A 8% w w m 2 m a P JZf/ZZZY 27% lnyentor Attorneys wltess t fag/1 M A. E. HOVEY.

PqoL AND BILLIARD TABLE REGISTER.

' APPLIOAIIOK FILED Alums, 1910. 1,000,091 Patented Aug. 8,1911.

mums-sums. 5 9 1 a w w I 44 J i? (D O Inventor W neses ALFRED 1E. HOVEY, 0F CASS LAKE, MINNESOTA.

POOL AND BILLIARD TABLE REGISTER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 8, 1911.

Application filed April 23, 1910. Serial No. 557,172.

tained by the owner of the table, the games or hours for any customer being visible to such customer and the total use of the table during a predetermined lapse of time being obtainable by the proprietor.

- relation to which thehand 8 mounted on a v In accordance with the present invention there is provided means whereby the time employed in a game or the numrber of games played and also the total of these amounts may be readily indicated, and furthermore provision is made whereby the number of players is also indicated, such parts of the structure being under lock and key, the key being in possession of the attendant, while other parts of the structure are under lock and. key, the key being in the possession of the proprietor.

V The invention will be best understood from a consideration of the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, in which drawings,

Figure 1 is a face view of the register. Fig. 2 is an elevation of the working parts of the opposite side of the cover from the showing of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an elevation of easing as viewed from one side. Fig. 4 is a detail view of a lock mechanism used in connection with the invention. Fig. 5 is a detail view of an actuating pawl used in connection with the structure.

Referring to the drawings there is shown a casing 1' provided with a lid 2 which may be secured to the casing by suitable hinges 3, while a suitable lock indicated at 1 serves to secure the lid in the closed position, the key for this look being assumedto be in the possession of the proprietor. I On the cover 2'there is produced a dial 5 having two sets 6 and 7 of suitable numbers-into operative stem 9 is movable at the will of an operator.

On the face 2 there is also another series 10 of numbers which need not be so extensive as the first named series. of numbers and into operative relation with this last named series of numbers a hand 11 may be moved at the will of an operator. Since the hand 11 need have but a limited movement stop pins 12 are provided at each limit of the movement of the hand.

The stem 9 extends through the cover 2 and on the inner face of the cover this stem 9 carries a wheel or disk 13 preferably toothed on the periphery as indicated at 1 1, although this does not preclude the formation of the disk 13 with a smooth periphery. Mounted on the same rear face of the cover 2 is a slide member 15 forming the movable member of a look. This member 15 is provided with a leg 16 extending through a bearing 17 fast onthe cover 2' andsaid leg being shaped to engage the teeth of the disk 13. The other end'of the member 15 is formed with a stem 18 movable through a guide member 19 and between this guide member and the body of the slidable member 15 the stem 18 is surrounded by a spring 20; The movable member 15 of the lock is also provided with another leg 21 returned on itself as indicated at 22, and extending through a guide member 23 fast on the cover 2. The free end of the leg 22 is formed into a toe 24 adapted to engage in any one of a series of notches 25 on a segmental plate 26 fast on an arbor 27 extending through the front of the cover 2 and there carrying the hand 11. The notches 25 may be provided with numbers 28 in the same serial order as the numbers 10 on the face of the cover.

At an appropriate point on the inner face of the cover 2 there is mounted a ratchet wheel 29 having teeth 30 opposite each of which is an appropriate number 31, the

several numbers 31 being arranged in regular order around the ratchet wheel. Mounted on the inner face of the cover 2 is a lever 32 carrying a spring tooth 33 adapted to engage the teeth 30 of the ratchet wheel 29. The lever 32 is provided with a pin 34 extending through a curved slot 35, the curvature of the slot being produced about the pivot point of the lever 32 'as an axis, and exterior to-the cover 2'the pin 34 carries a manipulating knob 36.

Produced in the cover 2 is an aperture 37 through which a small section of the ratchet wheel 29 is visible, the face of the ratchet wheel which is visible through the aperture 37 being that opposite the face visible when the cover of the box is open. The ratchet wheel on the face visible through the a erture 37 is provided with a series of num ers 38 corresponding to the numbers 31 on the other face of the ratchet wheel.

Mounted on the inner face of the cover 2 is an arm 39 pivoted at one end and at the other end provided with a roller 40 in the path of the teeth- 30' of the ratchet wheel 29. The arm 39 is under the normal control of a spring 41 and it carries a rod 42 terminating in a striker head 43 adapted to contact with a bell 44 also mounted'on the inner face of the cover 2.

The ratchet wheel 29 carries-a pin 45 in the path of which is a ratchet wheel 46 enge'd by the pin on each revolution of the disk 29 so that the ratchet wheel 46 will then be actuated a distance equal to the length of a tooth. The ratchet wheel 46 is under the control of a spring 47, shown as a leaf spring fast at one end to the cover 2 and at the other end bearing upon the teeth of the wheel 46 so as to hold the latter against accidental rotation but not interfering with the rotative movement of the ratchet wheel under the impulse of the pin 45.

On the ratchet wheel 46 there is produced a circular series of numbers 48, one for each tooth. Both the disk 29 and the ratchet wheel 46 have a zero position and on the inner face of the cover 2 are respective zero marks 49 and 50 so that on observing the number on the disk 29 and on the wheel 46, with relation to the respective zero mark, the extent of rotative movement of the disk and wheel is readily ascertained.

Produced through the cover 2 in proper relation to the lock member 15 is a lock 51 for the introduction of a suitable key by means of which the member 15 may be moved against the act-ion of the spring 20, and when so moved the engaging end of the leg 16 is out of contact with the disk 13 and the toe 20Iis out of engagement with a respective notch 25 of the segment 26. Under these conditions the hands 8 and 11 may be manipulated at the will of an operator, but when the-key is removed the lock member 15 willprevent movement of either hand, since both harids are then positively locked.

The lock member 15 as shown in the drawings is of very simple construction but this does not preclude the use of a more complex locking member so that malicious picking of the lock will thereby be prevented.

The register shown and described is assumed to be provided for each table.

If it be assumed that parties desire to play billiards, then the operator in charge will move the hand 8 to the time, as indictated on the inner series of numbers 7, at which the game is commenced, the movement of the hand 8 being accomplished by the insertion time from the indication of the hand 8 and the indication of the time piece so ,that the time may be charged up to the players. Then the operator also manipulates the knob 36 to cause a movement of the lever 32 in a direction to cause a rotation of the disk 29, the lever 32 being manipulated a sufiicient number of times to agree with the number of time units occupied by the game. The.

hand 8 may be reset for the next game and after it is finished the knob 36 is again manipulated adding the new time to that already occupied by the first game. This is continued so long as the table may be in use during the day orpart of day provided for the game.

Each time the disk 29 is actuated by the pawl end 33 of the lever 32 a tooth 30 moves under the roller 40 and causes a swinging of the arm 39 against the action of the spring 41 and as soon as the tooth has passed from under the roller 40 the spring 41 returns the arm 39 to its former position until arrested by the next tooth 30, this movement being sufiicient to cause the hammer or striker 43 to engage the bell 44 and set the latter in vibration thereby producing a sound. This indicates to the operatorthat the disk 29 is being moved and also to the players who may ascertain if the operator has rung up the proper time by observing the numbers visible at the opening 37.

If the charge be made by the number of games instead of elapsed time then the hand 8 is moved to or set at the zero position and then the clerk or operator manipulates the knob 36 for each game played and the difference between the indication of the hand 8 and the number appearing through the opening or aperture 37 will show the number of games played. When others desire to play then the hand 8 is set on the outer series v of numbers 6 of the dial 5 to agree with the showing of the numbers through theaperture 37, and then as the newlot of games progress the knob 36 is manipulated once for each game and when the series of games have been played the difference between the number to which the hand 8 points and the number displayed at the aperture 37 will give the number of games played by the new players.

If the charge be by the number of players or cues, then the hand 11 is unlocked and set on index 10 to show the number of players engaged. The hand 8 is set on a number of the series 6 to correspond with the number visible at aperture 37. Then disk and wheel when it is desired to ring up a charge on the register at the beginning of the game the knob 36 isworked back and forth once for each player or cue as indicated by hand 11, and this registering is repeated at the beginning of each game of the series. When the series of games is completed the difference between the showing of hand 8 and the indication at aperture 37, which will be the number of cues used in the series, multiplied by the price per cue will give the amount owed for the series of games. The number of cues used will also be registered on disk "29 and ratchet wheel 46 on the inside of the cover. I

W'hatever be the manner of operating the register, the proprietor may ascertain at any time by opening the door 2 and consulting the disk 29 and wheel 46 how many charges there should be by the indications on this with relation to the zero If the number of charges points 49 and 50;

on the disk 29 then exceed the indications each total revolution of the disk 29 will be registered on the ratchet wheel 46.

\Vhat is claimed is 1. A register including separately movment movable with the other hand, a spring.

pressed slide, separate means thereon for engaging the wheel and segment to hold them against movement, and means for directing a key into engagement with the slide.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

ALFRED E. HOVEY.

Witnesses:

H. N. HARDING, AL. J. HALE. 

